The Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) has a new initiative to ensure no doses of COVID-19 vaccine are wasted. The ‘Standby List’ began its operations January 12.

MPHD offers COVID-19 vaccines by appointment to those who fall into the current vaccination phase most weekdays from 8 am to 2:30 pm at the clinic in the Five Points neighborhood in East Nashville. To ensure no doses are wasted at the clinic each day, MPHD will be introducing the Standby List to distribute any remaining doses of vaccine at the end of each day.    Each vial of vaccine holds five doses, meaning a maximum of four doses would be offered through the Standby List on a given day. Just before the end of each day of vaccination at the clinic, MPHD nurses will determine if any doses will be remaining. The number of remaining doses will then be offered to those on the Standby list, chosen at random from the day’s list of entrants.

Those who are interested in participating are invited to email <COVID19VaccineStandby@nashville.gov> to enter their name each day the Standby list is operational. Entrants should be able to be in the Five Points area of East Nashville within 30 minutes of the day’s drawing at 2:30 pm. Entrants should include a phone number in their entry and be prepared to answer a call from a telephone number they do not recognize at 2:30 pm if their entry is randomly chosen that day. Those who are chosen from the Standby List to receive a vaccine dose will be told where to go to receive their dose and a unique code to ensure security. Those receiving a dose through the Standby List will also be instructed on procedures to receive their second dose.

Once the remaining doses have been allocated, the list of entries will be deleted in its entirety. This will ensure those who enter each day will be available for their vaccination, should their entry be chosen. Each entrant is encouraged to enter no more than one time per day. Evidence of multiple entries will lead to disqualification.

Participants are encouraged to follow MPHD’s social media accounts to learn of any potential changes to the Standby List, as on-location vaccination efforts in other parts of Nashville will mean the Standby List will not be operational every day.